Bowling Green at No. 25 Texas A&M
When: 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Kyle Field in College Station
Records: Bowling Green (1-1); Texas A&M (2-1)
Last meeting: This is the teams’ first meeting.
TV: SEC Network+ and ESPN+
What’s at stake?
Texas A&M heads into the weekend with its final opportunity to iron out the kinks before the bulk of conference play begins. There’s no question the Aggies have the upper hand over Bowling Green when it comes to roster talent, but that’s not to say the Falcons should be taken lightly after Sept. 7′s oh-so-close 34-27 loss to No. 10 Penn State.
For the Aggies, the matchup also provides another look at redshirt freshman quarterback Marcel Reed after an impressive first career start in last week’s 33-20 win at Florida. With redshirt sophomore QB Conner Weigman day-to-day with an AC sprain in his throwing shoulder, Reed may have his shot at another start if Weigman isn’t 100%.
While Reed has just one start under his belt, his Bowling Green counterpart, redshirt senior QB Connor Bazelak, has been around the block in his sixth season of college football with 42 career starts. With three years at Missouri and a season at Indiana, the Aggies remember Bazelak as the Tigers’ starting quarterback when A&M beat Missouri in 2021.
Vibes are high around the Aggies following the victory in Gainesville, Fla., and adding to the win column Saturday would set A&M up nicely ahead of a Sept. 28 meeting with Arkansas at AT&T Stadium.
When Texas A&M has the ball
Whether it’s Reed or Weigman that takes the field to lead the Aggies’ offense, expect a healthy dose of carries from the running back corps of juniors Le’Veon Moss and Amari Daniels and graduate transfer EJ Smith. A&M ranks second in the SEC and is tied for ninth in the nation with 263 rushing yards per game. The dual-threat Reed adds another level to the rushing attack.
The Aggies’ strength plays into the Falcons’ weakness, with Bowling Green allowing 208 rushing yards per game, the second-worst mark in the Mid-American Conference. The Nittany Lions ran for 234 yards against the Falcons with two backs eclipsing 100 yards.
A&M has been less reliant on the passing attack with just 158 yards per game, although offensive coordinator Collin Klein could be tempted to experiment through the air against a Bowling Green defense surrendering 211.5 yards through the air per game. Reed completed only 11 passes against the Gators but connected with eight different receivers.
The rushing defense doesn’t exactly do the Falcons’ defensive line justice, with the unit accruing seven sacks through just two games. Senior outside linebacker Charles Rosser and senior defensive lineman Anthony Hawkins each have two apiece while junior inside linebacker Joseph Sipp Jr. has a sack with a team-high 16 tackles.
When Bowling Green has the ball
Not many tight ends fill up the stat sheet like junior Harold Fannin Jr., whose 102 yards per game are 14th in the country and are the most at his position. He earned first-team All-MAC honors last season with six touchdowns and looks to be on his way to another big year. Fannin also has hauled in 8.5 catches per game, ranking fifth in the nation with 12 yards per catch.
The Falcons also return second-team All-MAC junior RB Terion Stewart, who missed the Penn State game with an ankle injury after running for 161 yards and three touchdowns in the team’s season opener. If he’s unavailable, senior RB Jaison Patterson likely leads the way on the ground against the Aggies with 83 yards through two games.
Bazelak has also favored Auburn transfer wide receiver Malcolm Johnson Jr., with 11 connections and a touchdown between the duo. Bazelak’s 211 passing yards per game are fifth in the MAC, albeit with two touchdowns to two interceptions.
The loss of senior cornerback Tyreek Chappell for the season will require members of A&M’s secondary to step up as conference play approaches. Saturday’s matchup against a talented group of weapons may reveal who can match Chappell’s leadership and production.
After dominating the trenches versus Florida, the Aggies’ defensive line aims to continue its strong play against a Falcons offensive line that is one of eight to not allow a sack this season. The unit held its own against Penn State and won’t be a cakewalk for A&M.
Prediction
The MAC is an interesting conference. Its teams are either upsetting Notre Dame and clobbering Mississippi State, or being obliterated by Tennessee and Miami. You never know what you’re going to get.
Bowling Green proved its worth when it nearly left Penn State with a win two weeks ago. The Falcons aren’t to be taken lightly, although Saturday is all about taking care of business for the Aggies.
Coach Mike Elko was adamant that A&M treats each opponent with the same level of preparation. If that’s the case, it’ll be ready for Bowling Green, regardless of who is at quarterback.
Score: Texas A&M 41, Bowling Green 14
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